Pastor Clive made to wait as court reserves judgment

Pastor Clive Johnston must wait to discover the outcome of his legal case, after the judge announced he was reserving his judgment until Thursday 7 May.

The retired pastor is being prosecuted for preaching the Gospel during an open-air Sunday service in one of Northern Ireland’s controversial abortion ‘Safe Access Zones’, and has been charged with attempting to ‘influence’ anyone seeking to access Coleraine’s Causeway Hospital’s abortion services.

This is despite the clinic being closed on Sundays, and there also being no mention of abortion during the preaching and no banners or placards.

‘There is a lot at stake’

After today’s hearing before a District Judge at Coleraine Magistrates’ Court, Pastor Clive Johnston said: “I’m glad the judge has decided to go away and have a think about this case before issuing his ruling because there is a lot at stake.

“We held a small, open-air Sunday service near a hospital. We made no reference whatsoever to the issue of abortion. And yet prosecutors say the buffer-zones law is so broad that holding our Sunday service was a criminal offence.

“As we now await a ruling, my wife Sheila and I want to take this opportunity to thank the many people who have supported us, especially my legal team, Colin Dougan, Aaron Thompson and John Larkin, and also our brothers and sisters at The Christian Institute whose personal support has been invaluable.

“It’s a difficult thing to go through but we are upheld by the prayers of God’s people and we have drawn near to Christ for help and strength. Christ is the most precious thing in the world to us and that is why we are so keen to talk about him in the highways and byways of this land that we love.”

US interest

Last week, the US State Department revealed that it is “monitoring” the “concerning” prosecution of Pastor Clive Johnston.

A US spokesman told The Daily Telegraph: “The United States is still monitoring many buffer zone cases in the UK, as well as other acts of censorship throughout Europe.”

Referring to the case of Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, the spokesman added: “The UK’s persecution of silent prayer represents not only an egregious violation of the fundamental right to free speech and religious liberty, but also a concerning departure from the shared values that ought to underpin US-UK relations.”